


spirited heart.

by yumenos



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Canon Rewrite, Fluff, Ghosts, Love Hotel, M/M, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-27 01:56:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20038012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yumenos/pseuds/yumenos
Summary: A re-write of Korekiyo’s love hotel scene.





	spirited heart.

**Author's Note:**

> kiyo's love hotel left me very unhappy and is a disservice to his character, imo. time to change that.
> 
> also in this version the hotel is 100% consensual, both partners agreed and are aware of it.
> 
> (italics = shuichi's thoughts)

Shuichi was once again in a now increasingly-familiar situation. A hotel room, filled with hearts and weird horses – and in front of him, a masked man, his back rod straight as he observed Shuichi.

_Kiyo’s fantasy…. I wonder how this will pan out…._

He was a little nervous, truth be told. But still, he’d spent time with Kiyo. They’d talked about anthropology, and Shuichi had found it interesting. Maybe, they were even sort-of-friends. So this shouldn’t be so bad, right?

His thoughts and the silence were suddenly interrupted as Kiyo spoke up. “Shuichi… it is good to see you again…” Pause. “…my dearly departed friend.”

_Wait… dearly departed?_

As per usual, Shuichi felt his very form begin to shift, changing to suit the fantasy in Kiyo’s mind. For Kokichi’s, this had been an old-fashioned detective costume. For Kaede’s, a sweater and jeans, date attire. And for Kiyo’s….

He glanced down at his now see-through body, blue and bare-chested from the waist up, and downwards… no legs, just a wisp. _H-huh?_

“Kiyo-“ he began, sounding nervous – of course he was, he didn’t want to be _dead!_

Kiyo bowed his head. “My apologies, Shuichi. Summoning you out of nowhere, without warning… it must upset you. The spirit is delicate, after all. I will ensure to give you notice next time.”

“S-summoning me?” He gulped, and his tail-whisp-thing swished. In any other situation, this would’ve been almost funny. He tried to calm himself, remind himself this was just a fantasy; he wasn’t really a ghost, and it was his job here to play along, for Kiyo’s sake. He took a breath (_do ghosts breathe?_) and found his voice once again. “Uh, it’s okay, I don’t mind. I was just, uh… surprised, that’s all.”

Kiyo quirked an eyebrow. Shuichi presumed he was frowning, but the mask was in the way. “Truly? Did you believe I had forgotten about you?” he asked.

Shuichi immediately backpedalled. “N-no, of course not! Why – why would I believe that?” _Apart from having no idea who I am or what I mean to you…._

Kiyo sighed. He sat down on the bed; Shuichi felt awkward, realising the distance between them, and decided to move a little closer. “Well, for a start, I suppose I came off as quite… aloof upon our first encounter. And given what occurred the last time we spoke… regarding our fight….”

“Fight?” Shuichi repeated. “We fought?”

“You don’t recall? Ah, I suppose a spirit’s memory can often be fickle. Especially regarding events of the living realm, no?” He shook his head. “Yes, we fought. It was in regards to… what you said about Sister. How you didn’t think she had been a good person. How you thought she’d been hurting me all this time. I got very angry. And… I’m sorry. You were right.”

He blinked. “I was?” He didn’t know much about Kiyo’s sister… if she was hurting him, if she wasn’t a good person… had she been abusive? He knew Kiyo agreed to this, but he still hoped he wasn’t overstepping his boundaries here, if they were touching on some past trauma.

“Yes. It’s been a difficult journey, but… I’ve come to acknowledge that she was harmful, and controlling, amongst… other things.” He looked away slightly, and Shuichi didn’t press, wanting to be respectful of his privacy. “I’ve begun therapy, to deal with these matters. It was a tough decision, but I’m glad I made it. Seeking help… it is nothing to be ashamed of. I have often told others that, but find it harder to apply to myself.”

“It’s okay, Kiyo. I think… I think we all feel that way sometimes.” Shuichi barely knew what he was saying, but kept talking anyway. “Um, coming to terms with my depression was tough. I thought – I thought it made me a weak person, I guess. I struggled with the stigma. But I managed to push through it and get the help I needed. Um, when I was alive,” he added quickly, remembering ghosts couldn’t exactly speak to a therapist.

Kiyo smiled. He held his hand out, towards Shuichi’s own. “May I?” Shuichi nodded, his face going red (_or darker blue?_) and let Kiyo take his hand. Somehow, he managed to hold it, despite the whole incorporeal thing. “You’re a very admirable person, Shuichi. I’m glad… we can share this with each other. I don’t often have people to share things with.” Kiyo averted his gaze once more; Shuichi could swear he saw a hint of a blush on the other’s cheeks too. “Would it be alright if I confessed something to you, my friend?”

Shuichi nodded. Part of him was wondering how he was now sitting on the bed, very close to Kiyo; he guessed ghost rules were kinda flexible.

“I wanted to confess. How I’ve been feeling. In all my eighteen years of life, I’ve struggled to make meaningful connections. I study people, yet I am so very distant from them. Sister of course tried so hard to stop me connecting with others, but even after she died I found myself keeping distance. And then you came along.” Shuichi thought, by the crinkle of his eyes, he must be smiling. “When I first met you, I was searching for Sister. I was on the brink of death. And the spirit that came to me was not hers, but yours. I remember, you said ‘keep fighting, please. Don’t die here. You’ve got a whole life to live.’ I thought at the time I didn’t, I was even mad at you for showing up when Sister didn't, and yet… somehow your words helped me make it through. Saved by the belief of a shy, beautiful ghost boy, merely a stranger at the time.”

“B-beautiful?” Shuichi spluttered, a little taken aback. He’d hardly use that descriptor for himself.

“But of course. You are breath-taking, both in appearance and in heart, in your kindness, your softness. The world is often harsh along with its allure, but you are not. I appreciate your warmth in a world that can often be cold.” He looked down at Shuichi’s hand and chuckled a little. “Of course it is metaphorical warmth, given your current state.”

“But back to my point. In the time we’ve spent together… talking, laughing, confiding… you even admitted to me your method of death, which I’m aware is very personal for a ghost. In those times… I believe I have developed some feelings, towards you. Of the romantic nature.”

Shuichi’s cheek would’ve been burning, were they flesh and blood. “You – you like me?”

“Yes.” Kiyo nodded. “If you do not return my feelings, that is perfectly fine. I only wished to inform you, with no pressure.”

“Kiyo…” At this point, Shuichi’s heart was racing pretty fast for a dead guy. He wasn’t sure how much was acting or how much was his genuine feelings anymore. But he kept going anyway. “I like you too. I return your feelings… even if our situation is an unusual one.”

Kiyo chuckled. “That it is. Star-crossed lovers, like Orihime and Hikoboshi, though perhaps not so drastic. But still, if it is your wishes, I would like to pursue a relationship. And if it is also your wishes… I would very much enjoy kissing you right now.”

Shuichi smiled wide. “Yes. To both. I’d… enjoy it too.”

Kiyo pulled down his mask; Shuichi was met with the sight of a soft smile and, as he soon discovered, softer lips. They kissed for what felt like an eternity, before Kiyo finally pulled back. Shuichi found himself missing that softness already.

Kiyo gestured to the mask. “I do not think I’ll be needing this anymore.”

“Me neither,” he agreed.

“And I hope, now that our feelings are out in the open… that you would like to travel with me. I know you have a keen interest in my studies, and your company would never go amiss. Perhaps it is presumptuous of me to ask a strong spirit such as yourself to tie himself down to one person-“

Shuichi couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course it’s not. You shouldn’t put yourself down like that, Kiyo. I may be a spirit, but… I was alive and human once, too. We’re really the same. And travelling with you would be the highlight of my afterlife.”

Kiyo’s eyes seemed to sparkle with mirth. Shuichi couldn’t stop staring at that visible smile, enchanting. “I’m looking forward to it. To the time by your side.”

“Me too, Kiyo.” _Our future together… even if this is just fantasy, I find myself picturing it, feeling that excitement… to travel with Kiyo, as my partner in both studies and romance… I can hardly wait._


End file.
